Copy of letter from John Redmond to John Gulland, 14 December 1915 Letters 1916-1923 John Redmond

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Letter from John Redmond (1856-1918) to John Gulland (1864-1920) regarding a bill that would force Irish men to pledge their allegiance to the British crown upon enlisting. Additionally, Redmond discusses the procedure associated with Home Office enlistment for home defence in Britain and Ireland.John Redmond was an MP and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. He was instrumental in securing the promise of Home Rule from Asquith's liberal government. Upon the outbreak of war, Redmond addressed a group of Irish Volunteers at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, encouraging them to fight with the British Army to ensure the implementation of Home Rule. Redmond's words split the Irish Volunteers across the country. The Easter Rising shocked Redmond, who condemned it bitterly. Nonetheless he appealed for leniency towards those who had not been involved in planning the Rising. John Gulland was a British Liberal Party politican and member of Parliment from 1906 to 1917. In 1915, he was the the Parlimentary Secratary to the Tresaury until the liberals left Parliment in 1916.

 National Library of Ireland John Redmond Papers, Collection List No. 118, MS 15,192/9/3S https://letters1916.ie/item/1032 English John Redmond 1915-12-14T00:00:00 John Gulland Male World War I (1914-1918) Politics Politics

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 Private. Enel. December 14th, 1915 My Dear Gulland, I have seen Ms. Peroy Harris's letter to you, which I return herewith. The first suggestion, that, on enlistment under the Volun- teer Act for Home Defence, the recruit should take an oath of allegiance, is absolutely puerile. Every man, on enlistment, makes the usual attestation, and, of course, this would apply to all enlistments for Home Defence under the prepared Bill. The second preposal is preposterous, and I could not look at it for a moment. The way the case stands at the present moment is this: Ever since the Territorial Acts were passed, from which Ireland was excluded, it has been legal for the War Office to enlist men in Great Britain for Home Defence only. The whole Territorial Force was enlistedin, this way and such enlistments were continued for a considerable time after the war commenced. Since then, I understand, the War Office, in its discretion, has ceased enlisting menfor Home Defence only. But it is within their power, any time they like, legally to resume the practice In Ireland, it is not, and never has been, legal to enlist men for Home Defence only; and, if the provise asked for were put into the Volunteer Bill, this disparity under which Ireland suffers would continue, and I could not for a moment consent to this. The Bill is merely a permissive one, and, under its oper- ation, if it were passed to—morrow, the War Office might, if it so chose, still abstain from enlistment for Home Defence in Ireland, or might make any regulations they chose for such en- listment. What I ask is, that the law as to enlistment for Home De- fence xxxxxxxx should be the same in both countries, and I am quite willing that it should be left absolutely at the dis- cretion of the War Office as to what they should do in the mat- ter of putting the law into operation. The statement attributed to Sir Edward Carson in the let- ter you send me, that the Irish National Volunteers would use the Bill as an excuse for shirking, is most offensive. The best answer I can give you is to say that, at the present mo- ment, according to the official figures supplied to me by the Government, 28,072 Irish National Volunteers have already en- listed, and that the number of Ulster Volunteers who have enlisted is almost precisely the same, 28,327. The imputation that I am anxious to facilitate shirkers is equally offensive. My object in getting this Bill exten- ded to Ireland in the shape in which it left the Houseof Lords is to promote enlistment, which the Military Authoritiesof the Irish Command agree with me would result form a free enlistment for Home Defence by our Volunteers, amongst whom the military spirit would soon make itself felt when they were living under military control in barrack or camp. Incidentally, their enlistment for Home Defence would re- lieve some 20,000 regular soldiers form the defence work in which they are engaged in Ireland. I cannot conceive that Sir Edward Carson will take the re- sponsibility of defeating this Bill, which is so eagerly looked for in England. But, whatever action he may take, you must understand clearly from me that the Irish Party and I cannot consent to suggest and the lines that were accepted by the Houseof Lords. I think it would be wise not to attempt to take up the Bill until after the Christmas adjournment. But, if there is any intention of taking it up before then, I hope you will give me adequate notice, as it will be necessary for me to bring over all the Membersof the Irish Party. Very truly yours, J. E. Redmond J.W. Gulland, Esq., M.P. John Redmond Letter from Stanley Owen Buckmaster to John Redmond, 15 February 1916Copy of letter from John Redmond to John Gulland, 14 December 1915Letter from David Lloyd George to John Redmond, 29 September 1916Letter from Mabel FitzGerald to John Redmond, 27 May 1916.Letter from John Redmond to Mabel FitzGerald, 29 May 1916.Letter from Lord Buckmaster to John Redmond, 15 February 1916.Letter from Frederick Rudolph Lambart, Lord Cavan, to John Redmond, 8 February 1916.Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 19 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 29 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 29 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 30 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 30 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 2 July 1916Letter from Edward, Prince of Wales to John Redmond, 31 January 1916Letter from John French to John Redmond, 15 April 1916Letter from Edmond Joseph Frewen to John Redmond, 25 March 1916Letter from Major-General Lovick Bransby Friend to John Redmond, 11 March 1916Letter from Stanley Owen Buckmaster to John Redmond, 15 February 1916Letter from John Redmond to Major-General L.B. Friend, 9 March 1916Letter from the Most Rev. Bernard Hackett to John Redmond, 4 October 1916Letter from Thomas Gill to John Redmond, 11 April 1916Letter from Thomas Gill to John Redmond, 12 April 1916Letter from Stephen Gwynn to John Redmond, 13 May 1916Letter from Sir Francis Hopwood to John Redmond, 2 May 1916Letter from John Redmond to Sir Francis Hopwood, 4 May 1916Letter from Colonel Sir William Hutchinson Poë to John Redmond, 22 June 1916Letter from Denis Johnston to John Redmond, 12 January 1916 Letter from Denis Johnston to John Redmond, 19 February 1916 Letter from Denis Johnston to John Redmond 2 March 1916 Letter from Denis Johnston to John Redmond, 15 June 1916Letter from Denis Johnston to John Redmond, 4 September 1916 Letter from T.J. Hanna to John Redmond, 20 June 1916Letter from John Redmond to Major General Lovick Bransby Friend, 9 March 1916Letter from Colonel Clive Wigram to John Redmond, 3 April 1916Letter from David Lloyd George to John Redmond, 21 June 1916Letter from David Lloyd George to John Redmond, 6 October 1916Letter from Lady Granard to John Redmond, 20 January 1916Letter from Lord Granard to John Redmond, 3 February 1916Letter (draft) from Lord Buckmaster to John Redmond, 15 February 1916.Letter (transcript) from Lord Cavan to John Redmond, 8 February 1916.